Transmission



APatented Oct, .2"7y 1925P isses e FAYETTE WORTHEN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNlA-L.

T'Raivsiaisson.

Applicationiled October 9, 1924. Serial No. 742,673.

To all whom t may coacem: i

Be it known that l. FAU-:rrr: .Yoirrnux, a citizen of the vUnited States) residing; ai Oakland, in the county of rrlameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in Transmissions, of which the following is a specilication.

rlhis invention appertains to transmission mechanism and more particularly to a novel transmission which is especially adapted to be used in connection with motorl vehicles.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a transmission which will be noisless in use and in which the necessity of shifting' `@gears andthe diliiculties contingent therewith is eliminated. i

A further object of the invention is to provide an automobile transmission in which the various speeds both forward and reverse can be had by the shiftingn of a single friction member.

A still further object of the invention to provide an in'iprovedtransmission ot the abovel character which will be durable and etlicient in use, one that will be simple and inexpensive manufacture and one which can be placed upon the market and incorporated with an automobile at a low cost. v

l-Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction. arrangement and formation of parts. as will be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying' drawings, in which drawings,

Figure l is a longitudinal section through the transmission the housing therefore not being shown.

Figure 2 is a section through the transuns sion taken on the line 2-2 ofFig-ure l.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similarreferenoe characters designate corresponding parts Vthroughout the several viewsv the letter A generally indi ates the improved transmission mechanism, which comprises the drive or. propeller shaft. 5, which is adapted to be connected to the end of the engine crank shaft by any preferred type of clutch-not shown. Rotatably mounted on the ,drive shaft 5 is a disk shaped plate 6 provided With an annular rim 7. As shown the rear edge of the rim 7 is provided with a beveled gear 8,' While the forward edge of the rim is provided with a spur gear t). Keyed to the drive shaft 5 and arranged within the rim 7 is a supporting disklt) provided with pairs of bearings ll, which are disposed radially of the drive shaft These bearings ll support rotatable radially ex. tending; shafts 12 and ll the outer terminals of which have keyed or otherwise secured thereto beveled pinions 14V which mesh with the beveled gear 9,. Disposed in parallel relation to the shafts l2 and l. and mounted within `the bearings l'l are shafts 'l5 and 1G which are operatively7 connected to the shafts 12 and lil by intermeshing spur gcarsfl'l. These shafts l5 and 16 are located on the opposite side of the' drive shaft 5 and are provided with worms 't8 and 19 which mesh with a worm gear 20. This worm gear 2O is keyedv or otherwise secured to a hollow shaft rotatably mounted on the driveshaft 5 in rear of the supporting disk l0.

A friction disk 22 is rotatably and slidrably mounted on'the shaft 5 andv s locatedV within the rim 7 forwardly of the plate t3 and this disk is provided' with rigid guide pins 23 which slidably extend through openings 24T in the said plate 6. This friction disk 22 is provided with a huh 25 for receiving: the drive shaft andI an expansion spring 2G is coiled abolit the hub and engages the friction plate 22 and a washer 2T which is keyed or otherwise affixed to the drive shaft 5.

A counter shaft 2S extends radially of the drive shaft 5 and is arranged for rotation hut for non-sliding lmovement relativeiytb the .Y shaft 5. The' counter shaft- 28 is operatively connected to the drive shaft lly the use of beveled gears 29. Feathered upon the shaft. 2S as a unit is a friction disk 30, a spur gear il and a shifting collar 32. The friction disk 30 is adaptedV to engage the friction disk 22 when the same is slid along the counter shaft 2S to a pre-determined position and it is to be noted that the friction disk 22 advjaeent to the huh is reduced in thickn ss as at 38 so that the friction disk S0 will er permitted to liewithin. said reduced portion without engaging the friction disk. Thespur gear 3l is adapted to engage thespnr 'gear 9 formed on the forward edge of the rim 7 when the friction disk 30 engages the disk 22 adjacent to the periphery thereof for a purpose, .which-will be'hereinaftgr more fully described. y

A hollow shaft 34 is rotatably mounted on the drive shaft 5. adjacentto ltherear end .thereof and sdisposcdin: spacedjrelation Soil Slt)

to the hollow shaft 21 and these hollow Shafts 21 and are provided with facing beveled gears 35 and 3G.

The shaft 5 between the 'racing gears and 26 is provided with radially extending rigid arms 37, the terminals oit which have rotatably mounted thereon beveled pinions 38 which mesh with the bevel l and 36r lt can be seen that the be gears '35 and 36, the pinions '38 and the arms 37 constitute a. dilterential, the purose of which will also be hereinaj'e tully described. The terminal oli the hollow shaft 34 is provided with a beveled drive gear 39 for operating the drive axle oi' the vehicle.

1t is to be noted that parts o, 1l), lz, l5, 15, 16 and the arms 37 and 'the gears 33 rotate as a unit and that all other parts are freed from the drive sha'lt except when eounected through gears 2O worins 1S and 19, beveled pinions 14 and the beveled gear 8.

lm .vieW of the angle of the teeth of the spiral Worm gear 20, the spiral worin gear 2C cannot turn the worm wheels 155 and 1S.; hence ordinarily or in high speed, the gears on the shafts 12, 13, 15 and lo turn as a Whole with the drive shaft 5. As the worms 18 and 19 vvhioh are carried by the plate 10 and the shaftsl and 15 can turn the Worin gear 20, the same will cause the hollow shaft 21 to turn faster than the drive shalt 5 and there will be a reduction ot' speed oll theV drive pinion 39 in relation to the shaft 5 by the differential comprising the gears auf 36 and the pinions 38.

Assuming that the mechanism is in high speed as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and all parts are revolving as a whole, speed reduction can be had by shifting the shilting collar 32 on the counter shaft ow the friction wheel 30 Will now engage the friction disk 22 and this contact will be 1positive in view of the arrangement ol the spring 26. The beveled gears "Z9 are oli such size and proportion, that the friction gear 3() will have the saine as the .l' Q2 Wnen it first engages thc surt'aoe ot the friction disk pon moving lthe l'riction wheel 2O further toward the periphery ot' the friction disk 22 a speed reduction between 'Tand 30 relative to the supporting disk 1() will be had, thus causing a rotator` of gears 14, shafts 12 and 13, and werrn Wheels 18 and 19. As the spiral worin wheel 2O exerts a tension on Worin wheels 13 and 19 whenever the mechanism is in Vforward speed7 it will be seen that when the worin Wheels 18 and 19 are caused to revolve as above described, and the spiral Worm gear 20 and hollow shaft 21 Will gain speed on the drive shaft 5 and the engine side ot' the differential will have a greater speed `vith a decrease of speed ot the drive pinion 3S) in relation to the drive shaft maaar-ie .51s the gear Q1 and the friction wheel are inoved Yfurther away from the shalt 5, the at described action will in- 'xrcase until at a point adjacent to the periphery of the 'friction disk 22, there will be enough action as to cause the hollow shalt 2l to turn twice as fast as the drive shalt lfl and then drive unions 39 .inust he come. stationary or neutral. Should the action be car hollow shaft fast lri l 21 will turn more than twice as t s the drive suatt 5 it is apparent lroni the llnction ot the diiierential mechanism that the drive pinion N will revolve in op 'Visite direction afiid hence will drive the vehicle in reverse.

lt can be seen 'that .l'roin noli speed to neutral there is always the *e dency tor the hollow shaft v2l to revolve laster than the shaft 5, it being prohibited only by virtue of the angle ot the teeth or. the worin gear 20 relativev to the worin wheels 18 and 1l) and that there'has been no strain between the triction gear 30 and the lriction dish .llo'vvevcr in reverse there is a driving train throughout the mechanism and in )revision ot this contingency l have ar- Vanged the gear 3l in such a manner that he saine will niesh with thcgear t) on the rini 'l which prevents th` slipping between the parts.

Vlfroin the toregoing description, 1t can be seen that l have provided an exceptionall' v simple and durable differential inechanisnij in which all strain, is eliminated in l/rwaid speed and in which the necessity ol'A shitting gears is entirely eliminated. lt is' to also noted that there is no motion within the inechanisu'i when driving in high speed @hanf/es :is to details niay be niade without departing troni the spirit or the vscope olf 'this invention but;-

lVhat l claim as new i is 1-7- l. EL transmission mechanism conujrising a, drive shut". a hollow .shalt rlantablv mounted on tue lrive shall, a drive pinion rotatablyl mounted on the drive shalt. a di l'A 'erential niechanisn'i including taring gears operatively connectlal with the hollow shalt and` the drive pinion, rigid aims carried by theI drive shalt and pinions rotatably carried by the arms meshing with the facing gears, a supporting and guide dish hevcd lo the drive shalt1 a plate rotatably monnied upon the drive shalt, means (uierativelv :onnecting the plate with the hollow shalt including a worin wheel and worin gears. a Counter shalt rotatably co'nuered with the drive shaft., a friction disk -caraicd bv the plate and a friction wheel slidalil'v mounted upon the counter shalt arranged lo engage. the triction d i2. la a dill shaft, a hollow icd beyond a point where the l upon the drive shaft, a drive pinion, a supporting .disk secured to the drive shaft, a

plate rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft, means carried by the disk for operatively connecting the plate with the hollow shaft including a worm gear and worm Wheels, a friction disk carried by the plate, a shaft rotatably connected with the 'drive shaft, and a friction wheel slidably mountediu on the shaft for.- engagement with the friction disk, and a differential mechanism Ioperatively connecting the hollow shaft,

1 a resilient friction dlsk carried by the plate,

a spur gear carried by the plate', a counter shaft rotatably connected: with and drivenv by the drive shaft, a friction wheel slidably mounted upon the counter shaft arranged lfor movement across and engagement with the friction disk, a gearv connected with the friction disk for sliding movement there-z with arranged toenga'ge the gear carried by the plate when the friction wheel is in one of its adjusted positions, and adierential mechanism including arms rigidly carried by the drive shaft, beveled tably carried by the arms, an facing beveled gears rigidly carried by the hollow drive shaft and drive pinion engaging the pinions carried by said arms. Y

4.' In a transmission mechanism, a drive shaft, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft, a pinion rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft, a support,- ing disk secured to the drive shaft for movement therewith, bearings carried by the disk, radially extending shafts rotatably mounted withinl the bearings,i a plate rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft, a beveled gear and a spur gear carried by the plate, beveled pinions keyed to the shafts carried by the disk for engaging the' beveled gear on the plate, worm wheels carried by said shaft mountedvon the disk, a worm gear keyed to the hollow shaft for meshinions rota- Y shaft, a hollow shaft rotatably moimted upon the drive shaft, a second hollow shaft rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft in spaced relation to the first mentioned hol.` low shaft, avdrive pinion keyed to the second mentioned hollow shaft, a supporting disk keyed to the drive shaft forwardly of the first mentioned hollow shaft, radially extending driven shafts rotatably carried by the disk, a plate rotatably mounted upon'the drive shaft having a beveled and,a spur gear, beveled pinions carried by the driven shafts meshing with the beveled gear, 'a'worm gear keyed to the first mentionedlfbllow shaft, worms carried by the driven shafts meshing with said worm gears, a v'resiliently mounted friction diskslidably carried by the plate, a counter shaft extending radially of the drive shaft, gears connecting the drivev and countershafts together, a spur gear feathered on the counter shaft, a friction wheel feathered on the counter sha for movement with the spur gear arranged to slide radially across and in engagement with `the friction disk, the spur gear being adapted to mesh with the spur lgear on the plate in one `of the'adjusted positions thereon, and a differential mechanism operatively connecting the drive shaft and the hollow shafts together.

6. In ra transmission mechanism, a drive shaft a -hollow shaft rotatably mounted uponthe drive'shaft, a second hollow shaft rotatably mounted upon the drive shaft in spaced relation to the first mentioned hollow shaft, va drive in ion secured to the second mentioned hol ow shaft, a supporting diskl keyed to the drive shaft, bearings carried by the supporting disk, radially extending shafts rotatably carried by the bean ings and extending radially from each side of the drive shaft, a second pair of shafts carried byA said Vbearings and operatively connected to the first mentioned shafts cartably mounted on the drive shaft operatively connected ,with the first mentioned shafts mounted'upon bearings carried by the disk, a friction disk carried by the plate, a

counter shaft operatively connected with the drive shaft, a sliding friction wheel feathered on the counter shaft and arranged for vmovement over the friction disk, 'and a differential mechanism operatively `connecting the driiie shaft land the hollow shafts tngether. s, l

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FAYETTE WRTHEN. A 

